


Windsong

by Imawriteritswhatido



Category: The Dragon Prince (Cartoon)
Genre: Also inspired by the Tempest, Alternate Universe, F/M, May included Jossing, TDP AU, it's my first post, pocahontas au, so please be gentle with me
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-20
Updated: 2019-03-20
Packaged: 2019-11-26 13:01:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,798
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18180938
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Imawriteritswhatido/pseuds/Imawriteritswhatido
Summary: Come and listen, all who care to hear the tale of an elf and a human who found something in the face of adversity, something more than what crisis or fear could destroy. An immortal song passed down through time by the generations, carried on the wind.





	Windsong

Callum’s stomach upended itself for the third time that night as the ship rode another wave with all the grace of a cow on a frozen lake. He grimaced. He usually didn’t get motion sick, but that salted pork at dinner hadn’t agreed with him and the bucket in his lap was getting full. He wasn’t too happy about the idea of getting out it the downpour outside to empty it. Not with the deck seesawing the way it was. That was trouble in all capital letters. And the smell wasn’t helping. Callum groaned as the ship tilted almost on its side.

He and his brother had given up their quarters for their father, since their ship was packed to bursting with supplies and people. One hundred soldiers, twenty volunteers, sixty hired hands, fourteen servants, two mages, two princes, five members of the Crown Guard, the king of Katolis, a doctor, a family of two, a three-legged wolf, a skeleton crew to sail the ship, and a Glow Toad. They had had to get another ship to house everyone and their supplies.

And that was before their Aunt Amaya had marched up to the ship on the day they set sail with two hundred and fifty soldiers and demanded she accompany her nephews. The docks then served as the venue for a heated debate between Amaya and Lord Viren, the high mage and brain behind this expedition, until finally Viren gave in and was left to sulk in his quarters while they rounded up yet another ship to house all the necessary supplies and people. They ended up leaving a day behind schedule and with four people to each cabin and several bunks doubled up below deck. That was how Callum had opted to sleep below deck with the crew when his father offered to and Ezran had followed. Now, Callum was regretting giving up a snug hammock to sleep on a bench between his brother and a soldier who seemed either asleep or dead.

Suddenly, the ship jolted, like it had hit something and Callum’s bucket fell out of his hands, falling in a mess on the floor.

He sighed. All this to look for resources in Xadia.

Xadia. A country of monsters, people called it. A vast uncharted territory, full of trees taller than buildings and practically hemorrhaging magical power, separated from their homeland of Katolis by the vast chasm known as the Breach. Crossing that bottomless pit, bracketed on both sides by mountains, would be suicide. Callum had heard stories of explorers and soldiers who had marched up those peaks, with the only ones to return white as a sheet and babbling in tongues. Anyone who wanted to get to Xadia safely would have to sail around the country by sea. Most people thought that this was a fool’s errand. But not Lord Viren.

Lord Viren, High Mage of Katolis, self-proclaimed servant of the same and the man who proposed this expedition. Viren believed that a mineral, Bryke, resided in Xadia. Bryke was known for its radiance and its flammability and Viren was sure it could be used for their purposes. He also thought that a plant, the Justin Weed, grew in Xadia in spades. The weed was medicinal, easily curing maladies like the common cold and keeping more serious ailments like pneumonia at bay. Callum felt his stomach turn and hoped the Justin weed would help him recover from this storm.

“Are you alright?”

Callum’s eyes hadn’t adjusted to the dark, So Ezran was just a dark shape sandwiched between him and a sailor next to him. But he could see his younger brother’s glow toad, held in Ezran’s lap, in the dark. Bait had been given to Ezran by their father and named for the glow toads’ reputation of attracting large game fish just by being in the water.

“No, I dropped my bucket.”

“Bait’s not feeling well either.” said Ezran.

Callum nodded, even though he thought the light might be too dim for Ezran to see it.

“I can tell.”

Glow Toads were known to change color to suit their mood and right now Bait was seguing between purple and green with every wave the ship rode. Callum wasn’t sure which one meant sick, but he was sure that right now, Bait held less love for the ocean than Callum did.

“Well, at least he’s in good company.”

Callum fought down another gag.

“I told you that meat looked funny," Ezran said, with a matter-of-fact tone, "but did you listen?”

“Alright, Ez, you were right and I was wrong.”

“Wrong enough to do the jerkface dance?”

“As soon as were off this ship.”

Callum swallowed when he felt his stomach drop.

“And as soon as my stomach settles.”

“You really think anyone’s settling in Xadia?” a voice about five people down and across the aisle from them called out. It was followed by the sound of skin slapping skin.

“Thank you Soren,” a more feminine voice from the gloom said, “that’s very helpful. Go back to sleep.”

Callum knew who those people were.

Soren was four years Callum’s senior, Claudia’s by two, but he’d known them both since his late mother had married King Harrow. Soren was a member of the Crown Guard, the elite guard that protected the Castle against invaders and trained other soldiers and guards for posts around the kingdom. They were also responsible for training the princes in the art of combat. Callum liked Soren or at least thought he did. It was hard to tell at times if Soren really thought some of his jokes were funny or if he was just ribbing someone too hard. But he was skilled with a sword and in the Crown Guard, that’s what counted. It was unfortunate that he possessed only half of his sister’s charm. Claudia was Soren’s younger sister, a mage in the court and the first girl Callum had thought was pretty. She and her brother couldn’t be more different, though. Soren was fair-haired, Claudia had black hair. Whereas Soren was brash and loud, Claudia preferred detailed planning and held a wit she regularly sharpened. Soren liked swords, Claudia liked magic. The two, like most siblings, were inseparable as well as intolerant of each other.

Then again, Callum wasn’t really one to talk. If anyone looked at the two princes side by side, now one would really say that they were brothers. Callum was lanky with a mop of brown hair, while Ezran was a head shorter, counting the hair that curled tightly up and out from his scalp. Callum’s mother, a soldier from a small village near the Breach, named Sarai, had mothered a child with the King on one of his visits. Callum had only thought that the king’s gifts and visits had him being charitable. He didn’t know he would be a big brother until his mother’s stomach had started to swell. Soon after, a five-year-old Callum had been whisked off in a carriage with his mother by a man with a cane, The High Mage Viren, and was being trained in etiquette, while his mother was crowned queen of Katolis. Ezran was born shortly thereafter.

There was a familiar groan to Callum’s right and he turned to face the sound. A shape in the dark walked toward a beam where an unlit lantern hung and leaned against it.

“Are you alright, Gren?”

“I’m fine, Callum. Really.”

Gren was normally a commander of the forces at the Breach, second only to Callum and Ezran’s Aunt Amaya.

“Just envious.”

“Of who?” asked Ezran.

“General Amaya. She could sleep through a hurricane. Asked if she was alright and said…”

Callum could see Gren’s hand move it a series of gestures. Callum and Ezran laughed.

“Yeah, sounds like her.”

Born without hearing, Amaya spoke only with gestures and expressions, for which Gren served as her interpreter when others were not versed in the language. But Callum knew something else. He may not be good with a sword, but he wasn’t stupid. He always noticed how nobody questioned why Gren never let Amaya out of his sight, unless she bade him to. Nobody asked why he specifically was allowed to sail on a voyage that was already overstaffed, when the ship could hold only a hundred and three, counting them. Callum had his suspicions, namely the fact that every night except this one he saw the two head for the private quarters Amaya had been given on the ship. Quarters only Amaya had been officially given.

“So,” said Callum, “how’s life in the swanky first class cabin?”

“Not much better,” said Gren, “at least from where I’m standing.”

“It’s the salted pork,” said Ezran, “I talked to five people and they’re all sick and ate the salted pork.”

“Not counting me?”

“Not counting you.”

“I’ll keep that in mind next time.” said Gren. He scented the air. “What’s that smell?”

Callum coughed into the back of his hand.

“I spilled my…bucket.”

“I’ll have someone clean it up in the morning.”

“Thanks, Gren.”

“If you clean it up, Aunt Amaya, might think it was really nice.” said Ezran.

Callum rolled his eyes, in spite of the fact no-one could see it. Despite the fact that he had developed a reputation for snark Ezran was more prone to get into mischief, such as teasing Gren about his standing with their aunt.

“You really think so?”

“Just get someone to do it in the morning,” said Callum.

“Well, if I don’t then maybe the General won’t let me have the last jelly tart.”

“Are you still grumpy about that?” asked Ezran.

“I didn’t see your name on it.” said Gren.

“I’m a growing boy.”

“And a bottomless pit!” said Callum.

“Bottomless pits and Jelly tarts are meant to be together.”

“Where’s that written?”

Ezran pointed melodramatically at the ceiling.

“In the stars!”

The three laughed. Callum’s nausea began to abate from the easy conversation and soon, the rocking of the boat became less sickening, more lulling.  
“Think the rain has stopped by now?” asked Ezran.

“I hope so,” said Gren, “cause I wanna go up on deck and get some fresh air.”

Gren turned and headed back the way he came.

“What do you suppose the New World will look like?” yawned Ezran.

“New World?”

“I heard someone call Xadia the new world. What do you think it will look like?”

“Like all the others, I guess, said Callum, “people have been finding new worlds for a long time. What could be different about this one?”

Eventually, he felt Ezran’s head on his shoulder and considered following his little brother’s example. Oddly enough, as he dozed, he wondered why during all this time, the man next to them hadn’t awoken.


End file.
